Page 11 of Impossible Bachelor (Bachelor Tower 2)
“I did yoga today, Penny. Hot yoga. For over five minutes. Baby steps.”
“It’ll work out, Kylie.” Penny pats my leg.
“Do you ever wonder what it was like between Mom and Dad before we were born? Was it ever good? It had to be good at some point, right?”
“I like to think it was.” Penny leans her head back the same way, and we’re both staring at the ceiling when Dalton comes in. “I wish we could have been there to see it.”
“Is the sky falling?” he asks as he walks in, looking up too.
I draw in a deep breath but keep my eyes fixed on the ceiling. “We’re trying to figure out how our parents ended up together. It’s like a tiger and a weasel decided to get married. Completely different species with no chance at a future.”
Penny shakes her head. “Neither of them were perfect.”
“But they should have known they would be bad for each other.”
“I see this is an upbeat evening.” Dalton pours himself a Scotch. “Penny? Kylie?”
I decline with a wave. I’ve already had a glass, and I don’t want to get mushy or emotional. Alcohol and I don’t mix well.
Penny walks over and gives Dalton a lingering kiss. When it ends, she hugs him and asks, “How was your day?”
He holds her to him and kisses her forehead. “Frustrating, but happily over.”
“Kylie went to yoga with Ben today,” Penny announces cheerfully.
“Should we put helmets on and duck because pigs are flying?” For all Dalton’s bluster he’s got a sharp sense of humor I can appreciate. He’s good for Penny, and that’s all that matters to me.
I stand and make my way toward the door.
“Where are you going?” Penny asks, sounding worried.
“Back to my place.”
“To stare at you know what?”
“My vision board.”
“Stay and have dinner with us.” Penny pouts, but I don’t give in.
Seeing Dalton with Penny reminds me why I started the wall. I knew the day would come when one of the egomaniacs in the building decided to take another swipe at us. It was only a matter of time. I played nice with them and waited, but that doesn’t mean my punch is ready to be delivered. All I need now is a name. Luckily, I can probably get it with one phone call. “You two enjoy dinner without me. No need to worry. I’m off to bed. Relaxing is exhausting.”
Dalton chuckles. “Say hi to Ben for me.”
“I’m not seeing him tonight.” Dalton opens his mouth to say more, and I wave for him to stop. “I’m not seeing him period.”
“He says you’re already smitten.”
“He’s delusional.”
“She likes him,” Penny assures Dalton as I walk away.
I leave that conversation alone. Penny’s happy. She won’t be if she knows what I’m planning. She won’t sleep a wink. It’s best she doesn’t know. It’s for her own good.
A short time later I end a call with my building mole—Alex has been very informative today, but we’ve decided no more phone calls. We need to be more careful. Tonight he has a good idea who might be messing with Dalton, and he’ll get back to me when he knows more.
I’m done waiting for confirmation on everything. It’s time for action. I take a push pin and jam it into one of the photographs, piercing one man in the forehead. Even if he isn’t the one who’s causing trouble for Dalton, it’ll send a message. These men think they are untouchable, that they can’t be taken down. They’re about to see how very wrong they are.
CHAPTER TEN
Ben
“Opal called me today.” My sister Bianca stands in her kitchen looking at me like she’s caught me with my hand in the cookie jar.
“Of course she did.” I grab a soda from her fridge and lean in to look at my nephew on the video baby monitor, fast asleep. “I can only imagine what she told you.” Once a week I pick one sister and have dinner at her house. Bianca is by far the best cook but also the pushiest. I’ll get something delicious served with a side of unsolicited advice.
“Who in the world was that woman you brought with you? I checked with the girls; none of them know her.” Bianca stirs the pasta sauce, fills a spoon, and offers it to me for a taste.
“More oregano.”
“That’ll be the only bite you get if you don’t start spilling the beans. You got kicked out. That’s not like you. Opal said the woman is really high strung.”
“It’s none of Opal’s business.” I know before Bianca replies. My response was too quick and firm. It gave me away.
“Where did you meet her?” Bianca stares me down. It’s a large kitchen, but suddenly it feels much smaller.
“We’ve known each other a little while. She’s the sister of that girl Penny I told you about. She’s a CFO of an international company. Very successful.”
“No, no, no,” Bianca replies, shaking her head vehemently. “You aren’t getting involved with a woman like that.”
“What’s that supposed to mean?”
“You make enough money on your own. You need a woman who—”
“Who I have nothing in common with?”
“Someone who will take care of you.” She adjusts the collar of my shirt the same way she would with her son.
I know she loves me. That’s what makes setting boundaries hard. “You are an incredible mother. I’ve seen you at soccer games. When Lee scores you light up. The game finishes and you’re there with orange slices and juice boxes. That boy runs into your arms, and I’m shocked you don’t burst with pride. You love staying home, and I respect that.” She blushes and waves me off, but I keep going. “Bridgette teaches like she’s holding the future of the world in her hands and maybe she is. She walks around humming those songs, and she celebrates when a kid in her class goes up a reading level. She doesn’t want to stay home with her children, and I also respect that.”
“I can’t see you with some cold-hearted businesswoman.”
“I can’t either. Does she have to be cold-hearted to be successful?”
“I’m not saying that.”
I put an arm around her shoulder. “You are, without even realizing it.” I make my way back to the pot of sauce on the stove and give it a stir. “I was blessed with four sisters. Four shining examples of how different women can be and somehow still be happy. Becky trains horses. You hate horses. You’re different, but equally wonderful.”
Bianca the lecturer does not like being lectured. She folds her arms across her chest. “I don’t know this Kylie, but do you really want a woman who will constantly put her career before you?”
“I want a partner—one I connect with—whatever that ends up looking like. But Kylie is so much more than her job. When she’s ready I’d love for you to meet her. Who knows, you might actually like her.”
“Opal didn’t.”
“Would you expect her to?” I grin and give her my best little brother puppy dog eyes. “Have a little faith in me. I’m not twelve.”
“Just tell me why. Give me a good reason why a woman like Kylie is a better match for you than anyone we’ve set you up with.”
“Because she challenges me. She’s smart. She’s funny—sometimes. I love her wit and now that I’ve started to get to know her, I want to know more. It’s really that simple.”
“I get that,” she huffs and rolls her eyes. “But I still think you’re wrong. You’d be so much happier with—”
“I appreciate your opinion, but it doesn’t change how I feel. So please don’t do that thing you do.”
“What thing?”
“When you have a four-way call with the o
thers and gang up on me. Don’t make your plans. Don’t conspire. Sit this one out and trust me. Tell them to do the same. They’ll listen to you.”
“You really like this one?”
“I do.”
A cry sounds from the baby monitor. “Charlie will be back with Lee soon. Could you check on the baby?”
“Absolutely.”
“He’ll need a diaper change.”
“On it.”
CHAPTER ELEVEN
Kylie
I liked playing dominos when I was little. Not the game but setting them up in intricate patterns and then tipping the first one and watching them fall. The satisfaction of knowing one small movement could have such a big impact resonated with me. Instant gratification that made the work I did all worth it.
This wall, this masterpiece I’ve created, is just another set of dominos. It took an enormous amount of setup but I’ve already tipped over the first piece, and tonight I got word that everything fell as planned.
Judge Byron Snyder has left the state. He’s fled. I’m sure he’s not on the back of a produce truck heading to some shack. He probably has a mansion in the Catskills he’ll hide comfortably in. But the comfort will end there.
It started with just a rumor. Judge Snyder was a dog. His wedding vows were as solid as Jell-O. Pair that with power and the combination becomes dangerous. A woman coming before his court would be offered a way out. A lifeline. The details of the exchange were never clear. What was clear was the astronomical amount of money paid to intimidate her. So why wasn’t it public? Because power can silence one woman. And if that woman believes she’s alone, the odds that she’ll stand up are even lower.
It came to me after a meeting at work. There were rumbles of a class action suit that might impact one of our competitors. It got me thinking, one woman probably wouldn’t out the judge unless she knew how many other people had dealt with the same thing. There truly is power in numbers. That’s where the hard work comes in.
I pull up the news bulletin again and smile. Of the thirty-six packets I anonymously mailed to the women I identified as potential victims of the judge, it looks like sixteen came forward and joined forces. Included in the packet was the name of a lawyer I knew would chomp at the bit to take on their cases. Judging by the quotes in this news article she’s on board already.
